Six-strike strata manager struck off for 10 years

A NSW strata manager has been “struck off” for 10 years by NSW Fair Trading following four years of complaints from at least six different strata schemes.

According to the Fair Trading website it has imposed the following restrictions on Whitney Hong Wang of the Professional Strata Management Group:

• Under section 192(1)(i) of the Property and Stock Agents Act, disqualify the Authority Holder from being involved in the direction, management or conduct of the business of a licensee for 10 years.
• Under section 192(1)(h) of the Act, declare the Authority Holder to be a disqualified person for the purposes of the Act for 10 years
• Mr Wang also had his licence cancelled and was issued a caution or reprimand.
• Professional Strata Management Group of 582 Princes Highway, Rockdale, NSW 2216 also had its licence cancelled.

It’s understood that Mr Wang may well appeal any or all of the the decisions made against him.

An Owners Corporation Network member – writing on the peak body for strata owners’ online forum – said: “This is great news for owners. OCN has been working to achieve this result for four-plus years, thanks to several members having to resort to NCAT to replace this manager.

“Fair Trading has (finally) taken strong action to prevent more harm to owners.”

The OCN leadership has called for more and better protection for strata owners, especially in the area of compulsorily appointed strata managers who can take over all the responsibilities and authorities for strata schemes from their owners.

The OCN demands for reform indlude:

1. NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to implement internal processes for appointment, review and reporting of compulsory managers (currently the only criteria is that they agree to be appointed),
2. NCAT to implement internal processes that prevent a tribunal Member appointing a strata manager as a compulsory manager when they have previously been removed from another scheme for proven misconduct. In this case there were five other affected schemes that the OCN knows of.
3. Government to require mandatory reporting by NCAT of proven misconduct by a strata manager to the Regulator for action.

“Having a dedicated Commissioner, with a clear focus on strata and preventing consumer harms, has helped us achieve this outcome,” said Karen Stiles, Executive Officer of the OCN.

“This is why OCN has been calling, publicly and privately, for the necessary resources for the Commissioner to improve the strata landscape. That includes better collection and use of data, proactive audits, industry monitoring and education.

“It’s been a journey but finally Department of Fair Trading has canceled the licence of Professional Strata Management Group and the licence of Whitney Wang for 10 years. There was substantial evidence used from six schemes in the making of this decision.”

In this week’s podcast, HEAR Sue Williams describe one case she attended where Mr Wang was about to be appointed compulsory strata manager for a scheme where the owners vehemently objected, due to his record in other blocks.